Misbah-Ul-Haq Proves Twenty20 Credentials Yet Again

Sunday 20 April 2008

Pakistan 203-5 (Misbah-ul-Haq 87no, Younus Khan 47) v
Bangladesh 101 (Nazimuddin 42, Mansoor Amjad 3-3)
Pakistan won by 102 runs
By Graham Wilson
Misbah-ul-Haq showed exactly what the Bangalore Royal Challengers are missing in the IPL as he smashed an unbeaten half-century as Pakistan thrashed Bangladesh by 102 runs in the Twenty20 International in Karachi.
He scored 87 from 53 balls, including five sixes, as Pakistan closed on 203 for five having chosen to bat first. Nazimuddin smashed three sixes in a lone hand of 42 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 101 as only three men made double figure scores.
Pakistan lost the wickets of openers Salman Butt (one) and Kamran Akmal (nought) in the first over before a stand between Misbah-ul-Haq and Younus Khan (47) helped them recover and they passed one hundred in the 11th over.
Misbah was aided by captain Shoaib Malik, who hit 35 from 18 balls although Shahid Afridi's miserable series with the bat was completed when he was out for ten.
Fawad Alam joined the fun by hitting 16 from ten balls at the death with one four and a six.
Nazimuddin added 41 with Tamim Iqbal (23 from 17 balls) for the first wicket before things fell rapidly apart for the visitors.
Mohammad Ashraful made 13 but thereafter every other player made a single figure score with debutant Mansoor Amjad returning figures of three for three from his one over of leg-spin towards the end.
Three Bangladeshis were run out as indeed, aside from the three men who passed ten, Aftab Ahmed was the top scorer with three.
Sohail Tanvir, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi and Wahab Riaz picked up one wicket each.
Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 150 runs yesterday to seal a 5-0 One Day International series win.
Mansoor Amjad made his international debut for Pakistan as Sohail Tanvir was preferred to Mohammad Asif with Mohammad Yousuf making way for Mansoor.
Bangladesh dropped Junaid Siddique as their struggle to find a solid opening combination continues with Nazimuddin recalled.
ï¿½ Cricket World 2008